EMMERDALE fans will see Chas Dingle and Paddy Kirk pay an emotional visit to their baby daughter Grace’s grave tonight.
They’ve got some exciting news to share with her after being told the baby Chas is currently carrying is healthy. They also know the gender and – while they’re planning on keeping it a secret from the rest of the village – they tell their daughter what they’re expecting. But what happened to tragic Grace and how did she die? Let’s remind ourselves of the heartbreaking storyline…
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How did baby Grace die in Emmerdale?
When Chas accidentally fell pregnant last year she was horrified and even considered having a termination.
But after a heart to heart with Paddy, who desperately wanted her to keep the baby, she decided to go ahead with it.
The couple were hugely excited and Chas even more so when she found out at her 20 week scan that she was expecting a little girl.
But her joy was short-lived when the sonographer spotted a problem with the developing baby.
After getting a doctor in to check, Chas was told the devastating news that the baby was suffering from a condition called Bi-lateral Renal Agenesis.
The doctor explained to Chas that her daughter’s kidneys hadn’t developed and there were issues with her lungs too.
The condition is sadly not compatible with life and Chas was told there was no chance of her baby surviving for more than a few moments outside of the womb.
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Chas was given her options, but she was in such shock that she totally couldn’t accept what was happening and believed they’d made a mistake.
She even hid the sad news from Paddy for weeks.
Eventually she broke down and confessed what she’d been told and the couple decided to continue with the pregnancy as Chas couldn’t bring herself to terminate their daughter.
They wanted to give the baby – who they names Grace – the best life possible as it was the only one she would know.
They also made the brave decision to donate Grace’s healthy organs after she passed.
Chas gave birth in October last year and managed to cuddle her daughter for a short while before she slipped away in her mother’s arms.
In March this year, Chas discovered she was expecting again and has been so worried about what the 20-week scan might reveal.
She and Paddy are overjoyed to learn their baby is healthy, but they’ll never forget the daughter they both loved so much.
